This blog serves two purposes.
First, it records our adoption journeys, both of Ben (2016) and Jonah (2010). Hopefully, someday, it will be a beautiful gift for all our children to read and remember the Lord's beautiful work in forming our family.
Second, it hopefully encourages families to adopt a child with Down syndrome. Part of that encouragement, I believe, is informing families what an adoption journey may all involve- to be truthful and honest about some of the difficulties that are involved in adopting. This honesty is not meant to scare families but rather to help them prepare.
So with that in mind, I am sharing my observation of Ben over the our first 3 months with him - August, September and October. We have come to know his incredible strengths along with some of his weaknesses.
Do we completely know Ben yet? I don't think so because it's only been 3 months. We have only just begun, but what a beautiful beginning it has been!
October
2016
BEN'S STRENGTHS
1. Very bright
2. Very verbal
3. Understanding English
quickly
4. Easy transitions
5. Social and outgoing
6. Able to entertain
himself easily
7. Behaves well in a group
setting
9. Figures out how things
work: vacuum cleaner, CD player etc
10. Personal care-
bathroom and dressing
11. Easily redirected most
times
12. Shows appropriate
affection to mostly the primary people in his life rather than just random
strangers
13. Seems to be bonding
with all 6 of us as well as Grandpa & Grandma and aunties
BEN'S WEAKNESSES
Cognitive
1. Not much interest in
toys or playing creatively
2. Not much interest in
being read to
3. Patterns- working on
A-B-A-B patterns so far
4. Number recognition (haven't
worked on letter recognition yet, just letter sounds)
Gross Motor
1. Running
2. Balance- can seem
unsteady especially when climbing stairs
3. Motor planning- in
certain things, such as getting in/out stroller, he can't figure out how to
position his body
4. Very stiff body when
being held or picked up
Fine Motor
1. holding pencil, crayon
etc.
2. using scissors
3. handwriting and
coloring
Behavioral
I think most of these
behaviors are a result of being in an orphange for all his life. The good news about this list is I am seeing
a softening of these behaviors. They are
still there, but seem to be less intense.
I think, in time, we will work through most of them.
1. Anger rather than
remorse when reprimanded-as of late, showing a fist to us
2. Inappropriate licking
(floor, walls, countertops, etc) especially when reprimanded
3. Thumbsucking
4. Lots of waving an
object in front of his face for long periods of time- will choose to do this
over playing with toys- stimming? In the
adoption world, this seems like it is a common orphanage behavior.
5. Self-rocking almost to
the point of head banging when putting himself to sleep
6. Very resistant to
personal touch for combing hair, washing face, nail care etc.
7. Likes to be in charge
8. Lying- blames Jonah for
everything
9. Food issues- while Ben
eats veges and fruit quite freely, he doesn't like most of the main dishes we
eat for our meals. He will only eat yogurt
and granola bar for breakfast, and pizza, mashed potatoes, wild rice, and
chicken sausage for lunch and supper.
Not sure if this is a control issue or not…
